5 Reasons Girls Should Play Football

What would you do if your daughter came to get your consent to play football? The majority of parents would say an outright no, but in your fear you might be overlooking some really compelling reasons to let your daughter play football. The game is not for everyone, but if she wants to play here are 5 reasons to give her your full support.

She Has The Skills

It will be a total waste if she has the skills and you don’t let her play. Boys play ball at the urging of their dads, friends or other family members. Few of them really play because they have a burning passion for the game. Girls, on the other hand will get a lot of negative comments when they choose to play. If your girl is willing to deal with all the negative comments then it could be that she has a real desire to play and the skills to back that desire.

Boys Will Respect Her

Boys, at first, will be resistant to the idea of a girl playing football, but once they notice her skills they’ll learn to respect her. Most boys can do nothing but show admiration and respect for a girl who can hold her own with them on the field. The fact that they won’t have to treat her any different than other players in the game gives them more reason to show respect.

Girls Will Think Twice Before They Mess With Her

Girls, especially the catty ones, won’t mess with a girl who plays football. They’ll know automatically that she is a girl who can take care of herself. And chances are that the boys on the team would come to her rescue if she needs their help. For the most part, girls can’t help but admire another girl who can roll with the punches and go head to head with the boys on the field.

It’s Not As Dangerous As Some Other Sports

As a parent, you probably won’t complain if your daughter decides to become a cheerleader or gymnast. But did you know that your little girl or teenager might receive more injuries from those sports than she would with football? It’s true, if your girl has the physical stamina to play the game she would probably avoid a lot of major injuries.

Football Will Make Her Smarter

Football is only 40% physical; the rest is all about the mental. Girls are strategic thinkers and they have the ability to multitask. These traits make them really good at the game. Their ability to survey the field, and make a snap decision might make them even better than the boys.

If your daughter comes to you with the suggestion that she wants to play football, listen to what she has to say and consider the points above instead of saying no. Yes, it’s nice to see girls cheering excitedly from the sidelines, but some of them can do a lot more than that.

Harry, currently a manager of a Sports Consultation Firm. A former linebacker while he is in college, he was compared to Steve Heyer during that time. Follow Harry on Twitter @HarryGKehoe